Belle Meade CC created the Solar Eclipse Garden Party with a festive atmosphere, solar-themed refreshments and commemorative eclipse-viewing glasses.
When the country began making plans for last summer’s total solar eclipse, Belle Meade Country Club didn’t want to leave its membership in the dark. The Nashville, Tenn., facility had a prime viewing location, being in one of the major cities in the direct path of totality, and members were keen on sharing this experience on the premises.
“We are lucky enough to have members who think of Belle Meade Country Club as an extension of their home and come to the club to spend the most important of life’s occasions,” says Director of Club Operations Wes Hardin. When the club began receiving a flood of inquiries as to what was being planned for the eclipse, management sprang into action and decided to host a Solar Eclipse Garden Party.
THE GOAL: Take advantage of the much-anticipated solar eclipse by offering a viewing spot for members of Belle Meade CC.
THE PLAN: In response to member demand, the club created the Solar Eclipse Garden Party with a festive atmosphere, complete with ample seating, solar-themed refreshments and commemorative eclipse-viewing glasses. THE PAYOFF: The unique, unforgettable outing gathered more than 500 attendees on a Monday—a day the club is normally closed. |
Thanks to word-of-mouth buzz, very little event promotion was necessary; standard e-mail blasts, website advertising and on-site clubhouse advertising quickly led to a waitlist within days of announcing the eclipse party.
“For what started as an impromptu, mid-day Monday celebration, on a day we are normally closed, management expected 100 people tops, and we ended up with over 500 attendees,” enthuses Hardin. “You never know which event will shine at your club.”
Tickets were sold for $12 per person, which included a buffet lunch, non-alcoholic beverages, and commemorative eclipse glasses. Given the nature of the event, outdoor venues were a must, and all three dining patios served as the main stage. The club’s back lawns were outfitted with tables and chairs for additional viewing stations, while buffet stations were set up indoors to help control food temperature. (Had the event been rained out, the club had a backup plan to set up seating in its ballroom, dining rooms and Great Hall.)
With the sun and the moon serving as the stars of the show, the club focused its energies on enhancing a salad and sandwich buffet with themed refreshments: SunChips, moon pies, rocket-fuel punch and malted Milky Way cheesecake. “Members raved about this [homemade] cheesecake for months,” notes Hardin.
As a fun favor that doubled as an event necessity, a pair of specially designed solar eclipse glasses, printed with the date of the eclipse, was provided for each guest—a commemorative gift that came at a cost for the club. “Our initial purchase of a small amount of these was at a reasonable price,” Hardin says. “However, when numbers continued to grow closer to the event, the price of these glasses rose significantly.”
Despite the added expense, Hardin says the event proved its value, by providing membership with an unforgettable experience that doesn’t happen often (the next total solar eclipse isn’t expected until April 2024).
“Togetherness and ease were the keys to success for this event,” he notes. “Members were delighted by the simplicity, convenience and camaraderie. The members and staff who attended this event have bonded over sharing this once-in-a-lifetime experience together.”
INSTANT IDEA
With two distinct campuses, one in Richmond, Va., and the other outside the city along the James River, the staff at The Country Club of Virginia makes a conscious and consistent effort to always “think outside the clubhouse” and find new ways for its membership to enjoy all that the club’s properties have to offer. This has led, for example, to the conversion of a golf maintenance facility into an “antique barn” venue for an event (see before and after photos, below); use of a boat landing for a “waterfront soiree”; and turning an area with gardens and fields into the setting for a farmhouse party. Providing the membership with new ways to enjoy the club by creating member events in revamped facilities, either for one-time repurposings or as permanent transformations into newly functional space, has led to increased attendance, new revenues and heightened member engagement, the club reports. |
Tell Us What You Think!
You must be logged in to post a comment.